The Return of Alice

Waking up in Shanghai this morning I’m greeted with a flood of emails, facebook messages, and phone calls. The world now knows what we here at Spicy Horse have known for some time: We’re making a sequel to “American McGee’s Alice” with Electronic Arts (EAP to be exact).

Not much can be said about the new project at this time. We are building it here in Shanghai. RJ Berg, who wrote the original and served as Executive Producer on the project, will reprise that role. The game will be delivered on PC, PS3, and 360. More details will come later of course. Until then, you can read the official press release. Or read EA’s official news blurb.

For me and the studio this obviously represents huge news. The original Alice was a good bit of fun – and aspects of the original are still quite compelling. The challenge for us – to build a great game, and a sequel worthy of the original – is real, but not daunting. Over the past few years we’ve assembled a really amazing team. I have full faith in their ability to create something amazing.

For me, this is a dream come true. The project will be fun, the studio can grow (and move – check out my flickr for pics of our new space), and we’ll eventually ship something unique. Lots of potential wrapped up in this news – I know I’ll be doing everything I can to make something great of it.

Check back here or in the forums for future updates. Can’t say I expect there to be much more news for a while – probably months. But if it’s allowed, I try to post some project updates, art, etc.

Also, a quick word of thanks to everyone at EA, EAP, CAA, and Weissman Wolff for everything they did to get this deal done.

And, we’re still looking for a few good people to join the team at Spicy Horse. Check out the hiring section for more info.

Post navigation

79 thoughts on “The Return of Alice”

Comment navigation

this will be fantastic. the only downside is that you don’t offer it on the PS2, but oh well. i recently got my niece to play the original and now she’s hooked. it’s all things Alice with her now… the game, the disney movie, and probably the books when she gets ahold of them. she’s very excited about the new game too.

First I’d like to say, congratulations on a sequal bieng made! I love the art and I love the first game! In fact I got it and finished it last month. But I’d like to know the following things, if possible for you to give away
1) Is it possible American Mcgee’s ALice will come to Australia?
2) Do you think its gonna kick ass like the previous one?
3) Will it come to ps3?

The last time they depicted this character, she wore bloomers, and her shoes on the wrong foot. She also has mental problems…
So if your worried about her looking like a sex toy, you may want to rethink what you find sexy.

God, I have been waiting for this for soooo long! I can still remember the last boss, when I thought I’d finished the game. I hope the game will still be as badass as the first one. I know this is dead childish but I want all the bosses from the original, except in glorious HD. Ha! I can’t wait, thanks loads for this.

I am a lowly video game producer in the industry and have worked on a wide variety of games. I have to say without a doubt that the original Alice is one of my favorite games in concept and execution of all time…

So much so, that I have the McGee Cheshire Cat tattooed on my arm!
If there was ever a game I wished I had worked on or conceptualized myself, Alice would be it.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the “all knowing, all seeing EA” does right by this sequel. Thanks to American McGee for bringing back my all time fave for another go…

How wonderful it would be to wander through this bizzzzarre fairy-tale once again…
American, you are the real genius one and we all will waiting for the beginnig of something new and unique, but please.. keep pace with Chris to make a new and strong flickering Star..
We all hope you will hear us..

Level design, music, character concepts, and gameplay were all VERY strong in Alice. I really enjoyed the concept of an older, darker Alice who has been institutionalized. The little book that came with the game was such an interesting read. I just wish that storyline was more prevalent within the game itself. If the game could be more than just a platformer; if it had the kind of character interaction of a Mass Effect, with dialogue options; yet retained all of the things that made it great originally; I think you’d have an amazing sequel on your hands. Please don’t forget that dialogue and interaction between characters was so crucial to the original books. Funny, witty dialogue, and logic/environment puzzles should have a very strong role in addition to the visual and environmental elements since they are such a part of the Alice universe. I really hope you consider them in the design; it would move the game from “trippy platformer” to perhaps something more sublime. Don’t dumb it down, please!

Simple request: If made as PC game it actually needs to be of a smaller than super large file size, If it could be made for Playstation2 as well as others and PLEEEZE make the movie awesome…looking forward to it.THANX

OK, now that Disney has had their fun with the Alice franchise, can we PLEASE get on with the movie of YOUR version of Alice?? PLEASE??!! I like Burton, don’t get me wrong, but his Alice did nothing for me. I need the dark, sinister version. I know you can’t fund a movie effort but….. there HAS to be someone with the same vision.

~SuperSnark~ Don’t forget the English accent. It is crucial! The English syntax made the dialogue wonderful!

ohh my god. i cannot describe to you how much i adored the original game. i hope all the same voices are used, especially the chesire cat and alice. thre voices are so beautiful and dark. also, why is the teaser trailer in clay animation? i did not like that too much, i lovee the way everything was in the first game. i hope there wont be anymore clay animation…and i agree!! english accent is crucial. and if chris vrenna is not making the soundtrack for return of alice…that will be huge dissapointment, because he is incredible. and no one can immitate his style of making such dark music. its perfect. sorry….im just hoping the second game will be as stunning as the first so im freaking out right now….i just watched the traielr about 5 minutes ago. and i REALLY HOPE THE MOVIE IS NOT TACKY. i think YOU GUYS should make it!!! no one else can make it as good!

I think it would be really cool (if EA is making a third game) for Alice to be trapped in Wonderland/London while (she would have Multiple Personalites) her second personality tries to reform and take over Wonderland, trapping Alice forever.